And They Were Roommates
by facelesswriting
Summary: It's what it says on the tin, folks. Eighth year get together Drarry slow burn. May add on, may not. UPDATED
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Oh look I started a new fic without finishing my old one. Who's surprised?**

* * *

**HARRY**

This school year was going to be fantastic. Harry Potter was willing it to be so. The war was over, and the trials were too. He'd gone to a few, gotten a few names cleared, done his part. He helped rebuild Hogwarts, spent the entire summer there, done his part. Voldemort was gone; he'd done his part.

He was sitting at the new fifth table, made specially for the returning eighth years - and there were more of them than he'd expected. As they waited for the firsties to come in, McGonagall took center stage. He thought it was odd - usually she didn't give a speech until everyone was there, but maybe this was about the war, something they lived through that the new kids should never have to worry about. He was wrong.

McGonagall gave a short speech about inter-house unity. Some students looked disgruntled, but Harry was honestly happy. It was important. He ignored Ron's look of disgust and sat up straighter. He knew he was an example even if the eyes settling on him never felt quite right. If he was kind, so too would be others.

But when McGonagall announced that the eighth years would be in new dormitories, sharing a room with only one student of a different house, Harry felt his heart sink. He knew exactly who he was going to be placed with, and as he met Malfoy's eyes down the table and saw him softly whisper "fuck," he knew Malfoy knew what was going to happen too.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

Draco slammed the door to their room open and marched inside. Without asking his new roommate, he flung his waiting chest onto one bed and began to unpack, Potter had tried to talk to him a few times on the way up to their dorm - just like he'd tried to talk to him after he'd testified at Draco's trial - but Draco was not having it.

When he'd finished unpacking, he tossed himself into bed, drawing the curtains, and pretended he was dead. It didn't work. They were in a tower and it was still bright outside. The light seeped into their room and through his curtains, and he sorely missed the diluted green light of the dungeons. Time felt more leisurely there, as if it wasn't really passing at all.

But Draco couldn't give up after throwing such a fit so he waited until he heard Potter settle too. Potter took his time, changing his clothes, folding everything neatly, taking a quick shower, before he got into bed and blew out the one candle Draco had left burning for him.

Quietly, Draco ripped the curtain of his bed back open, and stopped, legs half swung over the edge of his mattress. Potter hadn't closed his own curtains and for the first time all day, Draco had a chance to study him.

He looked peaceful in a way Draco had never seen him before. He didn't know if it was that Potter was asleep or that the anger that had drained away had simply not come back. He'd been levelheaded at Draco's trial and hadn't risen to Draco's baiting on the way up here, but Draco didn't expect it to last.

Potter had been through other changes too though. He'd finally grown - though he was still much shorter than Draco - and all the work this summer had filled him out and given him muscle definition that was definitely not there when he'd swung Draco onto the back of his broom in May, not that Draco had been paying attention, mind. His square jawline was covered in artful stubble that made him look older, and Draco made a mental note to tell him he looked homeless in the morning.

All of a sudden, Draco felt exhausted. He swung his legs back into bed and settled down, asleep even before the sun had fully fallen.

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

"I can't… take it… Hermione. I honestly- I just- I can't."

"Still going on about Malfoy, mate?" Ron fell into the couch next to Hermione, easily swinging his feet into her lap.

Harry closed his eyes like he was centering his anger, but really it just hurt to watch them interact. They weren't together anymore, not by a long shot. They loved each other, but they needed something to balance them out. Still, they had an easy camaraderie with each other that they didn't have with him. Not anymore anyway.

"I'll stop going on about him when he stops bothering me."

"Oh, Harry, he hasn't done anything to you." Hermione resisted reaching up to tug her hair. She'd switched to styling it in two long French braids down her back to keep it out of the way. When they were on the run, Harry had done it for her, loving the time it took to oil each strand into place. Now it was Ron who sat with her by the fire when it needed redone.

"It has been a month and the silence is still so suffocating I can't even be in our room!"

"Well, we'll find out what he's planning soon enough and tell Minnie and he'll get kicked out. Problem solved. Maybe when the git's in Azkaban, you'll get to keep your single, yeah? Maybe you can help a friend out?" Ron was wiggling his eyebrows at Harry. With Anthony Goldstein - who apparently snored up a storm every night - as Ron's roommate, Harry guessed he shouldn't be complaining about a little silence, but it was hard not to. It was _Malfoy_.

Ron should understand that too. Harry was trying to put the past behind them, but Ron was still bent out of shape, almost like Harry had always been with his obsessive suspicions. Harry sighed. He'd figure something out.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

Draco looked up when Potter swung open their door, but swiftly turned back to his book and resisted the urge for a double-take. Potter was out of his uniform, which wasn't unusual per se, but he was in fitted jeans which showed off his strong thighs, a fitted green T that showed off his flat stomach and broad shoulders, and no glasses, showing off his bright eyes.

"Get dressed and come downstairs."

Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes, secretly glad to be given an excuse to look up. "I don't think so."

"There's a party in the Common Room," Potter's voice didn't sound like he was going to budge, but Draco had abstained from talking to Potter for two months now. Of course he'd heard about the party, but Halloween wasn't going to change anything.

"Come on." Potter really was not going to quit, was he? But when he pulled open Draco's drawers, looking for something for him to wear to the party, Draco jumped up.

"Absolutely not."

Draco's hand was wrapped around Potter's wrist and the heat from Potter was slowly seeping into him. He would not break eye contact. He would not blush. He would not break eye contact. He would not blush.

Potter let go of the handle, tugging his hand back, and Draco felt a moment of pride when he'd thought he'd won, only for Potter to cross his arms, a still stubborn set to his jaw.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

It wasn't all bad, Draco thought, a cup of some gross bottom shelf whiskey in his hand. The music was loud enough that he didn't really have to talk to anyone, and Potter had abandoned him at the bottom of the staircase anyway. Really, it was a fine way to spend Halloween, and he had a pleasant buzz going by the time everyone was shuffling over to the fireplace, pushing the furniture out of the way so there was enough room for them all.

Draco let himself be corralled into a place in the circle, his eyes half lidded. It was nice to let go, not have to worry about anything. It took a few rounds of the bottle spinning before he even realized what they were doing. By that time, Blaise was already crawling on all fours across the circle to cup Harry's jaw in his hand. He placed a light peck on Harry's lips, much to the delight of their classmates if the whooping was anything to go by, and returned to his place.

Harry - when did he become Harry? - was blushing under the firelight as he took his own turn. The bottle landed back on Blaise, and Draco felt a knot tighten in his belly. He knew Blaise had somehow done it on purpose. His eyes sparkled as Harry crawled across to him this time.

"Coming back for more?" Blaise asked, his voice low. This kiss was less chaste. Blaise's hand came up to tangle in Harry's hair as he lingered, making Harry gasp, an opening Blaise swiftly took advantage of.

"Okay, okay," Granger called, but Draco thought she looked flushed under her dark skin. "Break it up boys."

Harry had a tiny smile on his face as he moved back, but his eyes were downcast as if he were embarrassed. Blaise didn't take his eyes from Granger as he lazily flicked the bottle. He didn't even glance at it as it spun to her and stopped. He simply took his turn when her eyes went so wide he knew it'd landed on her.

And so the game went.

Draco was mercifully left almost entirely out of the game. He'd been kissed by the Gryffindor Patil and had to kiss Theo in return, but he'd enjoyed getting to watch how his classmates interacted, who's eyes lingered on who, which people were getting jealous. His attention had started to drift again when the circle got a little quieter. It was a small, giggling hush, but it was enough to bring Draco's attention back.

Glancing at the bottle he saw it'd landed on him, and based on the way Harry was crawling towards him, he was the one who'd spun. His breath caught in his throat, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from Harry's. His roommate came to a stop in front of him, eyes flicking down to his lips as Harry's tongue flicked out to lick his own.

Draco snapped, moving quickly to put his hands on Harry's shoulders. He gripped for a second, losing balance, before he shoved, hard. "Oh, absolutely not."

Harry went sprawling as Draco stood on wobbling legs and left the circle. Now it really was silent, until a low, breathy chuckle broke the tension, and Draco just knew it was Harry's laugh.

"Truth or Dare, anyone?"

But Draco was already up the stairs.

It was late when Harry came back, but Draco was still awake, watching out a crack he totally hadn't purposefully left in his curtains. Harry stopped in the doorway for a second, breathing heavy, looking at Draco's bed in the dark. He licked his lips and moved forward, stopping again right between their beds. Draco was afraid Harry would see the light reflecting in his eyes and know he was awake so he quickly shut them. Feigning sleep, he listened intently as Harry's hand brushed his curtain as if to pull it back.

Then he let go and turned to get in his own bed. He was lightly snoring within seconds, leaving Draco to wonder what had made him look so hurt.

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

If I was paying more attention to Malfoy than usual, that was no one's business but my own. It was annoying Ron, scaring Neville, and I couldn't quite tell what it was doing to Hermione, but she kept giving we this weird, knowing smile that left me feeling wholly disconcerted. Exposed.

Malfoy was spending less time in our room than usual, which made the time he was around me all that much more important. He still didn't talk to me, but I'd almost come to expect that, but now he'd look at me. I had to be super careful when he would do it. If he knew I caught him, he'd glance away or scowl so I had to stay still - but not too still that he'd know I was doing it on purpose.

I had to redo so many assignments because I'd just start scribbling as soon as he looked up at me. I didn't know why it was so important to keep him looking at me.

By the November Hogsmeade weekend, I had a plan.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

"You coming this weekend?" Blaise swung his feet up on the couch, too close for comfort for Draco, who grimaced.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked as he slid down on the floor away from his feet. "Hogsmeade? We're literally going together."

"No the party afterwards. Ron's throwing another."

Draco rolled his eyes, "What's with these Gryffindors this year? Did they always do this and they just weren't as annoying about it in the past?"

Blaise laughed, getting that gleam in his eye that made Draco nervous again. "Well, _I _think it'll be fun, but then again _I _didn't run out of the last one."

"Oh, ha, ha. You'd hightail it out of there if Potter was coming at you like that too."

"Hmm, if you remember, I actually didn't. He's a pretty nice kisser too. You should try it sometime." Blaise got up, heading for the door, "So are you?"

"Going to kiss him?" Draco squawked, shooting his friend a panicked look.

"Coming to the party you weirdo."

"Oh, uhm," Draco started to answer, but Blaise was already gone.

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

This time, Harry would not freak Draco out. He'd be kind and courteous and at some point his hands would definitely stop sweating. Honestly this was just ridiculous. He wiped his hands - again - off on his jeans as he waited on his bed.

His shoes were on the floor in front of them, right where they'd been sitting since Draco had gone into the shower a half hour ago. Finally, finally the water shut off, and Harry could hear his roommate humming tunelessly as he toweled off. There was absolutely no reason for the noise to give Harry butterflies.

As soon as the sound of Draco's footsteps came closer to the door, Harry bent over to put on his shoes. He wanted to look busy to give him a reason to stay and walk down together - to see what Draco, damn _Malfoy, _was plotting of course.

"Oh, uhm," Malfoy had just stepped out of the door, steam wafting out after him. Harry looked up reflexively before immediately looking back down. His entire body was at once sweating and cold and on fire. He'd barely glimpsed Draco before he'd re-shut the door, but he'd seen that he was only wearing a fluffy, deep red towel tied loosely around his waist.

There was no reason for it to embarrass Harry like that. He'd seen all the Gryffindor boys in their towels. Maybe Slytherins were different? That's it. Slytherins are prudes and Harry was just reacting to Draco's embarrassment. He looked down at his shoes, wondering what to do. Draco had already seen him tying them up, there was no way he could just sit here with them undone until Draco came back out.

He sighed and laced them up slowly, hearing the bathroom door open as soon as he'd shut their hall door.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

"I am not drinking at this party. I am not drinking at this party. I am not drinking at this party." Maybe if he repeated it enough to himself, he'd believe it.

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

Draco was absolutely plastered.

It would have been kind of funny if Harry wasn't so worried. Ron kept making jokes all night about how it'd be so easy to prank the git, and every time Harry felt his anxiety spike. He wanted to pull the drink from Draco's hand and replace it with water. No, what he really wanted was to take Draco upstairs, give him a sobering potion, and tuck him into bed. Obviously he couldn't do that.

That's why he just made sure to sit close enough to Draco to keep him from falling over as they all eventually, inevitably gathered around the fire. A new bottle was placed in the centre of the circle and Blaise grinned evilly as he volunteered to give the first spin. Every time the bottle came close to landing on Draco, Harry gave it a subtle push of wandless magic, either slowing it a bit early or pushing it past so it never landed on Draco, and he breathed a sigh of relief when the game was finally over.

He pulled Draco to his feet, too out of it to really protest, and looped his arm around his shoulders. "Come on. Up you get. Time for bed."

"Why are you helping him?" Ron's nose was scrunched in distaste.

"What? You want me to just leave him?"

"One of his friends can get him. He shouldn't have gotten so drunk. Why's he your responsibility?"

Harry paused a second, half thinking Ron was heartless before he blurted, "He's my roommate."

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

"You rigged the game."

Draco's voice was such a shock that if Harry hadn't been hearing it in class the last few months he might not have recognized it. "What?"

"Last night, you rigged the game so I didn't get kissed. Jealous Potter? Don't want anyone else to kiss me?"

"What?" Harry squawked again, sounding genuinely surprised and Draco was starting to doubt his argument.

"Don't do that. I know you rigged it."

"Well, yeah, obviously. How else would you play spin the bottle with like ten people for an hour without getting spun on a single time?"

"So if I'm wrong, why'd you do it?"

"You were blasted, Malfoy! There's no way you could consent to someone making out with you in that state! Jeez, what're you on?"

Harry turned away, but Draco kept watching him, feeling butterflies bloom up inside him. Somehow, that made him feel much warmer than anything else could have.

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

Harry thought about what Draco said for the rest of the day. Jealous? Him? Absolutely not.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

Draco had thought he'd been the most surprised when Harry asked him to join he and his friends for the December Hogsmeade trip, but by the look on Weasley's face, he took that title. Draco still wasn't even sure why he said he'd go, but there he was, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he trudged a halfstep behind Harry through the snow.

Weasley and Granger were ahead of them arguing in hushed whispers that weren't quiet enough not to overhear. "Stop. They're roommates. He's going to be around sometimes. Honestly Ronald it's fine. You sound like Harry; he's not up to anything."

His shoulders hunched and he kept his eyes glued to the ground ahead of him, ignoring the way Harry glanced at him again and again. And again.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

A tiny, overenthusiastic owl thumped into Draco's window, but he hadn't really been able to sleep since coming home over break. It was always too quiet in his room without another's breathing. He got up, taking the time to pull the blanket from his bed to take with him before he opened the window to let the bird in. It dropped it's parcel unceremoniously, then flitted around the room and knocked over a lamp before it swooped back out the window, and Draco laughed at its ineptitude.

He glanced at the clock on his nightstand, making sure it was the early hours of Christmas, before he opened the plain brown wrapping. Immediately he knew who the gift was from. It was a photo in a heavy, solid but ornate picture frame, a photo of him. It had to have been from the day they went to The Three Broomsticks together, the day that Weasley had said something so stupid Draco had laughed until butterbeer came out his nose.

It had a dreamlike quality to it, blurring Weasley's offended expression on the side as it replayed. Photos made from memories were a complex bit of magic and they were incredibly expensive. Draco gently brushed his finger along the back of the frame, knocking a note loose.

"I'm literally still laughing at this. -h"

The ghost of a smile touched Draco's lips as he placed the frame on his night table.

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

Draco was sitting on the end of his bed. They had the quiet sort of friendship where they didn't discuss what was happening as they slowly got closer. It had been this way since they got back from winter break. They'd simply started doing small, friendly things like letting their feet tangle together as they did their homework, letting their knees brush together under the dinner table when they'd started sitting together.

Draco had started calling Ron and Hermione by their first names, though Ron still met it with a scowl. Harry had gotten used to seeing Blaise affectionately tap Ron on the nose and gently tuck Hermione's hair behind her ear. Their friend groups were somehow colliding.

Harry glanced up at Draco, then back to the open heart-shaped box of chocolates that was sitting between them. Draco was eating one slowly, savoring it, and Harry looked back down to hide his smile. He'd known the box was from Draco as soon as he'd come home from classes today, Valentine's Day, to see it on his bed. Draco had put it there without saying anything and Harry had wordlessly opened it and offered him one. They'd been sitting together ever since, Draco's outstretched ankle resting on top of Harry's as they sat doing homework.

Harry knew what Draco was asking without needing the words. After that, they started holding hands in the comfort of their own room.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

"Get away from me." Draco rolled his eyes at Ron. Just because Harry wasn't around didn't mean he couldn't do his homework at their library table. Draco started unpacking his bag anyway, counting down the seconds until Harry would get out of his meeting with McGonagall and join them.

Blaise reached over and pulled Ron's earlobe. "Behave babe."

Ron scowled but went silent, still shooting daggers at Draco across the table, and Draco rolled his eyes again, thinking, "The things you do for the people you… like."

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

Winter was thawing out and the students were more lively at their March Hogsmeade Weekend Party. Even Hermione was more than her usual tipsy as she kept leaning up to kiss Blaise's jawbone, grinning dopily as Ron's arm around her waist held her steady. Her boys looked at her and each other with amusement all night until they could finally settle her onto the floor by the fire.

Harry thought it was cute - if odd - the way they made it work, but he glanced at Draco. Maybe all relationships were odd. He couldn't figure out what they were: silent but friendly, private and chaste.

He'd already settled into the circle when Pansy spoke up, "Not joining, Draco darling?"

Harry looked up, recognizing the weird, pinched look on Draco's face as hurt even as Draco avoided looking at him. "Nah, I think I'll sit this one out."

Every time the bottle sped up as it passed him, Harry looked up at Draco to see if he was paying attention to Harry's cheating. After a few times of his wandless pushing going unnoticed, Harry stretched. "I'm beat. I think I'll head up." He walked off without waiting for anyone to acknowledge him.

Sitting on Draco's bed in the dark, Harry waited. He wasn't disappointed when Draco appeared after a few minutes, waving his wand to light their candles. Harry raised his eyebrows in question, and Draco's twitched together. Neither spoke as Harry stood up and went to press his lips to Draco's for the first time. But they both smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

**DRACO**

Weeks rushed by, making Draco more nervous with each passing day. The grounds had started to thaw out, and he didn't really feel ready for graduation. It was all too soon - and yet, he felt kind of ready.

"Hey," they were all sitting under what had become their tree by the lake. Everyone turned to look at him, but Draco was only looking at Harry. "So I was thinking…"

He waited until Harry finished reading whatever paragraph he was on and looked up at him. He quirked his eyebrow in question, and the easy smile on his face made the last of the tension in Draco's stomach relax. "I was thinking about after graduation. I don't really want to move back to the Manor so I was thinking that maybe I would get an apartment somewhere near Diagon. Would you want to..? I mean I was just thinking we've got on well this year so…"

His heartbeat was pounding in his ears, and the longer he talked the more Harry's face got pinched. It was silly, he knew, but he felt like he'd just finished a rough Quidditch game.

"Are you… asking me to help you apartment shop?"

"No, I was asking-"

"Me to move in with you?" As soon as Harry finished his sentence, Blaise, Hermione, and Ron's heads all snapped back to their books. Ginny and Luna just stared at them. "I actually, well, I kind of already have a place."

Draco's heart fell. "Oh, yeah. Of course, you'd have plans, that's fine." He dropped his burning face back to his own text, trying to pretend the whole conversation never happened.

"Well, wait," Harry waited for Draco to school his face and look up. "It's the place Sirius left to me. I was actually going to ask - I mean it's too big for just me so I was going to ask you - but then you asked first, but yeah I would love to be - er-" Looking around Harry seemed to realize how quickly he was talking and paused.

"Yeah?" Draco asked, feeling butterflies flutter in his stomach.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed, grinning like an idiot back at him.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

Draco clasped his hands together under the table. There was really no reason to be nervous - it wasn't like graduation was a ceremony. They simply had the final feast of the year, announced who won the House Cup, and they all got to throw their silly little hats. That was it. Then he and Harry would officially be living together.

He swallowed nervously, but before the panic could well and truly erupt, Harry grinned over at him, surreptitiously taking one of his hands to hold under the table. Suddenly, Draco was fine, reminded of exactly why he shouldn't be afraid. Being with Harry was easy as breathing. It was simple. Pure.

Headmistress McGonagall was taking the stage, and she well-wished the seventh and eighth years alike a wonderful life out in the real world. Then Ginny was leading the cheer from Gryffindor table as it was announced they'd won once more. Draco didn't really mind losing. His ties were to his people, not his House now, and he was shocked into laughter when Hermione yelled out a whooping, "Hell yeah, Minnie!"

He and Blaise locked eyes and snickered at the fact that goody-two-shoes Hermione Granger had finally caught onto their nickname for their beloved Headmistress. Blaise shook his head as he looped an arm over her shoulder, and Draco hoped their little triad would work out.

They made their way to the Hogwarts Express, for old time's sake, and lounged around a compartment together, speeding into their futures.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

Harry stumbled when they apparated into the parlor at Grimmauld Place before heading off to the grand staircase. "I haven't cleaned everything out, but I figured I'd let you pick a room. I know you have way more stuff than I do, what with everything."

Unsure if he was supposed to follow Harry, Draco stayed put and began unshrinking boxes filled with his potions equipment. He'd gotten Severus' old mentor to lead him through his Potions Mastery program as well, and he'd been so excited he'd gone out to Hogsmeade the very next weekend to purchase supplies.

Trooping back down the stairs, Harry seemed to notice Draco was hesitating. "You coming?"

"Pick a room?" Draco repeated. He knew it was fast to move in together, but he hadn't thought they needed to discuss sleeping arrangements, having gotten into the habit of cuddling in each other's beds in Hogwarts until they fell asleep almost every night. But maybe Harry didn't want that here.

"Yeah I thought the room in the basement by the kitchen would work best so your potions weren't contaminated by sunlight, but then I thought maybe you'd want the top floor's study so there'd be plenty of airflow. I wasn't sure."

"Pick a room for my lab?" Draco clarified, thinking he sounded a bit insane at this point, but Harry just babbled away, seemingly not noticing.

"Yeah, I thought that's something you'd want to get set up right away. I also told Neville and Luna and them that we'd have everybody by next weekend, but I can get on cleaning up the main floor since I don't have a job yet. I hope you don't mind that I invited everyone. I guess I didn't really ask. It shouldn't be too big a job though. Plus if we don't get it done, the first floor's study is cleaned out; it'll just be a bit cramped."

"What about a bedroom?"

"Won't that be weird to have everyone hangout in a bedroom?" Cocking his head to one side, Harry looked almost like a dog, confused as he was.

"No, like," Draco cleared his throat, hefting his trunk, "to sleep. For me."

"Well, we'd take the master since it's- Oh. Oh, you don't- I'm sorry I never- I'd just assumed- Sure, if you'd like your own, I can clear one out. Yeah. No problem." Looking strangled and sounding nervous and awkward, Harry began to turn away, aiming to go back up the stairs.

"But what-" Harry didn't turn back at the sound of Draco's voice, but he did stop walking, which Draco took as encouragement, "What if I want to share?"

"You want to share?"

Draco nodded and was thrilled when a grin split Harry's face. He bounded back down the stairs, swooping Draco into a hug and planting a kiss on his cheek. "Good. I mean that's great. I mean," he let go, taking Draco's trunk from him and hauling it up the stairs, "cool. Yeah just cool."

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

Sitting at Hermione's kitchen table, Harry watched Ron and Blaise move about the little apartment. They'd both chosen to move home for the time being, but Harry knew they'd be spending plenty of time here too so were helping Hermione settle in. Hermione wasn't taking part in the heavy lifting, choosing to take a cuppa with Harry instead, her eyes bright as she pestered him.

"So how was last night?" She asked in a hush.

"Godric, there was so much dust on everything. It took more than an hour just to get the windows unstuck to air out the smell of it."

"What? No, Harry," shaking her head, she laughed. "How was _it_?"

"The house? I mean it's dark and musty but I really think we can make it a home. Draco's lab-"

"No! Oh, you are so dense. It. _It. _I didn't figure you'd done it in the dorms, but you must've last night."

"It? Oh, _it!_ I-I-" Harry was flustered, his voice rising, but he didn't really worry about it. The guys were back in Hermione's bedroom and he heard them laugh, then quiet, then laugh again as the bed springs squeaked suddenly. Immediately Harry's mind wandered to them, wondering how it would work with them, which of them would… but he shook the thought from his head.

"You don't have to tell me how it was if you don't want to; I'm just being nosy, but was it… You know, was it good?"

"No! No, we didn't- We don't-"

"Oh!" Hermione looked about as mortified as Harry felt, her dark cheeks flaming. "I'm so sorry! Are you guys not..? Are you just roommates? I thought it went without saying that you were-"

"Yeah. I mean no. I mean we are. We're-" Harry couldn't help the grin on his face as he got butterflies all over again. "We're boyfriends."

"But you didn't..?"

"No," Harry confirmed, "we didn't."

"You didn't what?" Blaise asked as he grabbed an apple out of the bowl and munched into it, leaning with Ron on the bar splitting the kitchen and living area.

"Nothing!" Harry shouted, perhaps a bit too loudly. He could feel his face flaming again and had to turn away. "Cuppa anyone?"

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

Their little get together was going off without a hitch. Harry had cleaned up the whole main floor while Draco had covered the basement. Their bedroom was still a disaster, but that was okay, he told himself. No one would see upstairs.

He was leaning against the wall outside the parlour, a little overwhelmed by the raucous laughter inside. Luna, Pansy, and Blaise were the only non-Gryffindors and, damn, if those lions weren't just so loud! But he was listening in on Harry telling them about the reparations and remodeling they were doing to the Master, and he could feel his heart slow again a little, Harry's voice alone calming him.

"And Malfoy," he heard Ron yell, "where are you?"

He pushed himself off the wall, rejoining the party, "I just popped down to the kitchen. You've got to try one of these, Harry made them the muggle way. They're amazing." Setting down the platter he brought, he was happy to see Harry's pleased, little grin at being shown off.

"No," Ron said, mouth full. He gestured around at the house.

"Oh, well I've got everything for my lab up and running." He prattled on for a bit then asked Neville how setting up his own greenhouses was going. Neville's long suffering sigh had them all laughing, and Draco completely missed Ron's look of utter confusion.

HPDMHPDM

**HARRY**

They were having a pub night and somehow Harry had gotten jammed between Blaise and Luna, while Draco was all the way at the opposite corner talking to Greg and Hermione. Right now, Ron was leaning around Blaise, frankly pissing Harry off.

"I'm just saying you should find a nice girl to settle down with."

"I'm just telling you that that's not what I want," Harry retorted.

"A bloke then," Ron waved his hand as if dismissing it. "Whatever."

"I really don't think I want to add a new personality to the mix."

"You don't have to worry about the group dynamic," Ron swung his arm around Blaise, either for emphasis or to keep steady, Harry couldn't tell. "Really. I just don't want you to be lonely."

"I'm not lonely just living with Draco." It was true too. They'd been living together for four months now and it was perfect. Harry still hadn't figured out what he wanted to do so far as a career, but he was having a good time just fixing up the place, getting it livable again, and Draco had really taken to his independent study. Harry understood why Ron and Hermione loved Blaise and how he balanced them and was just as much a part of their relationship, but Harry didn't want that. Why couldn't Ron get that?

"Yeah," Ron hesitated, "but, like, how permanent is that? Aren't you going to wake up one day and want to fall in love?"

Harry turned to Luna, biting back tears, "Excuse me."

He'd had to say it another two times before she heard him over her conversation with Ginny and Pansy and the general noise of the crowded pub, but he finally got himself out of the booth. Making his way out onto the street, he wrapped his arms around himself. He thought this was permanent with Draco, but maybe, like Hermione had known they were dating without him saying anything, Ron could see that they were just a fling.

He didn't know if he loved Draco. He had no experience with that tiny, tight, fluttery feeling that erupted in this chest every time he looked over and saw Draco sitting at their kitchen table, absently stirring a tea bag as he concentrated on his readings. He'd thought it was love, but maybe Ron was right and it wasn't. Or maybe Ron could see Draco didn't return it. They certainly hadn't talked about it.

His conversation all those months ago with Hermione came back to him. Maybe that's why they hadn't slept together. Harry thought a fling would mean more physicality, but maybe Draco was afraid of Harry catching feelings he didn't want to return. Tears stung his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

Draco followed him out, and Harry realized it must have taken him a moment to get Pansy, Hermione and Luna to move for him. "You okay?"

He'd asked softly, full of care, but Harry was still so angry at Ron that his voice came out rougher than he meant it to. "Why don't you want to have sex?"

Jerking as if slapped, Draco stepped back, "You want to have sex?"

"No. Yes. I mean no, that's not what I meant, not right now anyway."

"You didn't say anything. I figured you didn't want to, that maybe you were asexual."

"Then why would I want to share a bed? And kiss?"

"Asexual people are all different. Their lines of what they do and don't want are specific to each person, and you never expressed an interest so…"

"You never expressed an interest either."

"Well, I'm demi," Draco shrugged as if that answered everything.

"I don't know what that means."

"It's-" Draco huffed, trying to find the words to explain. "It's like "sometimes," but like not. Like conditions. The whole sex thing is a complete non-issue for me, like it's not even a thing for me, if the emotion connections not there."

"Oh," Harry said. Then saying he was demi really did explain everything. Draco just didn't have feelings for him. "I see." His voice was tight, and he disapparated.

HPDMHPDM

**DRACO**

"You are not apologizing for your sexuality. You are not apologizing for your sexuality. You are not apologizing for your sexuality," Repeating it to himself like a mantra, Draco hoped he'd begin to believe it soon. He hadn't expected Harry to be so pushy about the whole thing, but then Draco guessed he really wasn't. They'd been living together for months and dating for months before that, and Harry had been patient. Plus, he hadn't said anything last night, just come home and locked himself in the spare bedroom.

Draco would be mad if he thought Harry was trying to manipulate him, but he really didn't think that was it so he couldn't figure out why Harry had gotten so mad so quickly last night. It wasn't as if he could ask him either, as Harry had been gone by the time Draco had woken up this morning. He was trying really hard not to be mad right back, but it was hard when he had his feelings hurt. It was so much easier to be angry than to be sad.


End file.
